March 2, 2010 – In February, Brent Martin was enjoying an off-road motorcycle trip with a group of riders across a remote desert near Lake Isabella in Southern California. He came upon an injured rider who just crashed her motorcycle. Martin stated that he had only limited cell phone coverage, and was unsuccessful maintaining a mobile phone connection and explaining their location to local 911 dispatchers.

“Being in the middle of nowhere limits your ability to effectively communicate your geographic location, even with cell phones,” said Brent Martin, a motorcycle enthusiast and member of a Los Angeles County Search and Rescue team. “Everything looks the same out there and you’re miles from any streets signs.”

April 21, 2010 – On the morning of Sunday, March 14, Robert Cortis and three friends set off in their boat to enjoy the day fishing off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. With clear skies and calm winds, Cortis recalls spending the day reeling in multiple fish. Suddenly, 20 miles out at sea, their luck took a turn for the worse.

Mr. Cortis reported that their 23 foot 2006 vessel had begun to take on water due to a breach in the hull shortly before 4 p.m.

Despite cellular service and navigational devices, SPOT was needed to initiate life flight for critically injured rider

March 3, 2009 – SPOT LLC today announced that the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ successfully notified emergency rescue authorities of a severely injured off-road motorcyclist in California’s Mojave Desert. The man’s condition became critical and despite cell phone service, friends at his side could not communicate their remote location to local authorities.

In January, David Cheney and friends had set off to enjoy a 100 mile motorcycle ride through the desert outside of Barstow, California. Thirty miles into the ride a fellow rider, and experienced desert racer, took a bad fall hitting his head. Some of the party rode on while others stayed behind to help.

On July 25, 2008 experienced outdoorsman Rejean Able, who was on a six week wilderness trek in Nunavik, located in the remote Ungava Peninsula of Northern Quebec, was rescued using his SPOT Satellite Messenger after a canoe accident left him stranded without supplies. As he was approaching a series of rapids, Mr. Able lost control of his canoe and capsized. Submerged with his feet caught under the seat of the canoe, he was able to free himself and swim to the embankment, but in the process lost his canoe and all off his supplies. He also lost his rifle which he had taken for protection against wolf packs known to be in the area.

Rescuers Locate Injured Man Using GPS Coordinates and Airlift Him to Nearby Hospital

September 23, 2008 – SPOT Rescue Alert (SRA): On August 22, 2008 experienced hiker and Canadian oil analyst Michael Ervin, set off to enjoy a backcountry wilderness trip to the base of Mount Assiniboine, one of the highest and most distinctive peaks in the Canadian Rockies outside of Banff. A bad fall under the weight of his forty-five pound backpack left Mr. Ervin with a ruptured quadriceps tendon to his knee, unable to put any weight on his leg and 10 kilometers from the nearest road with no cell phone coverage.

“I heard a loud snap from my leg and could see my knee cap hanging loose, lower than usual,” said Michael Ervin, President of fuel-analysis firm MJ Ervin & Associates of Calgary. “I was experiencing shock and knew I was unable to walk. I needed real help and pressed the 9-1-1 button on my SPOT Satellite Messenger to notify emergency responders of my GPS location coordinates.”